You've got a brilliant idea for a product and you cannot wait to make it a reality. Great! Naturally, you dive in and start 3D printing your product, right?
Nope. Stop right there.
Before you spend this type of money and time, there is a great deal of prototype manufacturing processes.
Indeed, the design process typically sees as many as three to five different prototype stages and requires a large number of test units.
To this end, we’ve partitioned the prototyping process into three categories. Now let us drill down to the respective stages in order to obtain a deeper comprehension of the prototyping procedure.
The first phase of rapid prototype manufacturing process
This stage represents the first iteration of prototypes and is mostly concerned with answering two questions:
l Will the product work?
l How will it look and feel?
Answering these questions usually requires two separate prototypes, each created specifically to solve basic functions and user experience. We can refer to those first two as the proof of concept and the appearance prototypes.
Prototype Proof of Concept Prototype
The first physical model created along the prototype manufacturing process is a proof of concept prototype. Made to answer the question “will it work?" it is strictly concerned with function over form and will probably bear little if any resemblance to the final item.
This functionally representative prototype uses readily available materials to simulate its physical form, while using off-the-shelf technology to create its components.
Finally, this model is acceptable for supporting the viability of the product's performance and for being analyzed in many different controlled settings. They are usually practical, not really decorative. It might be a lot of wires and chips and it resembles something you ripped from the rear of your washing machine.
It is a formative point in the prototype manufacturing process at which the item viability is rapidly determined and a quick succession of systematic testing happens to assess assumptions, flush out possible failures, and comprehend whether there is, in fact, a market for your item also known as product/market match.
Appearance Prototype
Ordinarily, after a positive result is accomplished from the proof of concept period in the manufacturing processes, next comes the appearance prototype. This version answers the question "how will it feel and look?" and provides a flavor of the last design.
The appearance prototype is visually agent while lacking real operation. It is a static design without working attributes, wholly worried about providing a sense of the feel and look.
An enhanced effort is obtained via using CNC machined parts and 3D printing to make a prototype that's just like the overall look of the end solution, and this point will use increased quality materials to mimic the user experience.
The materials used may generally contain: 3D printed plastics, CNC machined RenShape, medium density fiberboard (MDF), solid wood, foam and clay, CNC machined or laser/punched sheet metal, Paint, etc.
Engineers in this prototype manufacturing process try to strike a balance between using viable substances and ones who are not prohibitively costly, because prototypes can cost between 50-100x to make compared to last mass-produced manufacturing solutions.
What does it convey? What is it used for? An appearance prototype is similar to a version. It resembles the actual product, but it might be produced from a good chunk of wood or foam.
This model is also often used for sales and advertising functions in addition to for the solicitation of investment and funding. As it is physically representative of the last product, it enables potential buyers as well as other stakeholders to visualize it correctly.
In specific scenarios, evidence of concept prototypes may also look prepared. It is dependent upon the goods and situation.
The second phase of rapid prototype manufacturing process
The second stage of prototype manufacturing processes attempts to enhance and improve upon the product layout, taking analyzing comments and lessons learned from earlier iterations and incorporating them since the process inches toward a last product.
There are also opportunities to create prototypes that are very similar to the final product, including the look and function, providing a path for more robust and in-depth testing, both appearance and functionality, providing avenues for more robust and intensive testing.
This stage relies on two new versions: the engineering model and the production model. This amount of detail typically needs staff with significant prior experience in product design and manufacturing.
Engineering Prototype getting-help-early
The engineering prototype is the first iteration in the prototype manufacturing process that provides visual, operational, and production representation. It's an immediate successor to this proof of concept prototype with an attempt made to mimic the look too.
This prototype will usually resemble the last product in form, albeit at a rougher or pristine condition. Designers may incorporate additional elements to encourage the development process, so that these versions may carry minor to significant differences in the look.
It is meant to be deployed for controlled customer and field trials to confirm the plan, its primary purpose being to demonstrate systems viability within an operational environment.
The goal is to check the performance of this product in front of a further investment to higher-grade materials is made.
Manufacturing Prototype
Following the technology model was successfully analyzed, a manufacturing prototype is made. This is the final confirmation in the prototype manufacturing processes before layouts are published for mass-production tooling. The critical difference is in the quality of materials used since it's intended to be both wholly operational and nearly identical in appearance by the last item.
Now, the model still doesn't have the price advantage of mass-produced components, meaning that the usage of the end materials might be prohibitively costly. Therefore, alternative substances are utilized to approximate the ones that are finished. Sometimes decisions are designed to bypass the manufacturing model based on the blend of assurance level and staying hazard in the product design.
Generally, manufacturing methods involving the production and engineering prototypes are basically indistinguishable.
While not totally prepared for certification testing, this model functions as the last evaluation of aesthetics, colors, textures, performance, production openness, customer field trials and total layout verification in the prototype manufacturing process.
It is also used as a last prototype for sales and advertising functions, enabling customers to check the consumer experience and assess its functionality before manufacturing tooling is made.
After the last tests are conducted, viability assessed along with also a prosperous business case review created, it is time to start ramping up production.
The third phase of rapid prototype manufacturing process
The last stage attempts generates the "first-off" prototypes that come in mass production tooling and are utilized to check the production procedure quality and for merchandise certification.
The last prototype in the prototype manufacturing process is truly the beginning of mass production. It can be known as the pilot - basically, the first unit of rolling off the assembly line. It is constructed using mass-production production procedures and can, in reality, be marketed. Yet, it is still regarded as a prototype due to the demand for product quality reviews and characteristics, final product testing, and product certification (if needed).
Electronic hardware and components are typically unchanged by the technology or manufacturing model. But, mechanical element materials and building methods can vary significantly.
These modifications may include:
Metallic components made from methods such as die-cast and metal stamping
A pilot model will traditionally be supplied to separate testing labs in charge of issuing product certificates. After these last certificates are obtained, the item could be considered ready for commercial installation.
As we have seen, the prototype manufacturing process could be divided up into three different stages, each containing its own set of landmarks and goals. In the telltale evidence of concept models to of the line completed goods, the prototyping procedure represents a development from idea to reality.